UTOPIA refugee and asylum seeker health

In 2016 we met inspiring healthcare professional Lester Mascaranses when he engaged BNE to design a small renovation for his own home. A couple of years later Lester got back in touch to engage us on an ambitious project he had been dreaming up for some time.

He had been working in refugee and asylum seeker health services and was frustrated with the shortage and suitability of services for the specialised and diverse healthcare needs of the population group. Accessing quality healthcare is often very problematic for refugee and asylum seeker migrant groups taking into account factors such as language barriers, ineligibility for funding, geographical distance from the provider and out-of-pocket costs. The healthcare needs of these groups can often be complex and require an integrated approach that provides medical and psychological support in a culturally safe environment. 

Lester saw decreasing services for this segment of our community and had decided to take on the task of personally creating a not-for-profit model of healthcare delivery which he had named Utopia. In his words:

“Utopia is a refugee and asylum seeker health service providing primary care (GP services) at no cost to refugees and asylum seekers regardless of their Medicare status. It is a non-government organisation established by people who believe in health as a human right and that refugees and asylum seekers require services tailored to their needs. Personal profit is not our purpose. However some income will be necessary to provide free services. Revenue from a travel medicine facility will contribute to the free service we can provide to refugees and asylum seekers.”

TEST

We assisted Lester in the search for a suitable property in the outer western suburbs. Unable to find an existing purpose-built building Lester sought to convert a residential building and eventually found a large 1990's house on the edge of a commercial zone in Hoppers Crossing with generous outdoor areas. We resolved a layout floor plan to map how the space could be reconfigured with a minimum of interior structural works and ultimately converted the home into a clinic with two waiting rooms, three treatment rooms, one counselling room, a day surgery, ambulant and accessible bathroom, staff-rooms, lockable storage, office and reception. 

There are multiple issues to consider for  a medical centre conversion including accessibility, car-parking, fire-safety, revegetation, car-parking, community impact and did we happen to mention car-parking? The build project team grew when we brought Mesh Designs onboard to handle the planning and building requirements and to access their team of landscape consultants, engineers, parking and traffic consultants into the mix.

The project spent many months in planning. During that time we worked with Lester and the founding members of his medical and administration team to learn about what elements created a good medical setting. We learnt about traditional patient and practitioner conventions and we explored what aesthetic and practical inclusions would support the psychological wellbeing of clients and staff using evidence based design. Our overarching aim was to allow those who provide and access the services to feel a sense of welcome and belonging whilst ensuring safety and privacy for all.

The budget was relatively tight for interior works with so many resources going into creating car parking, ramps, rewiring for medical use and other required elements. We relied on some fundamentals to transform the space at minimal cost such as retaining and re-sealing timber floorboards. We worked to introduce and control natural light into every area, upgraded heating and cooling technologies, added warm LED lighting and widened all of the doors and hallways to ensure access via wheelchair. We used low-flow tapware, non-toxic surfaces and energy efficient elements. 

We added the warmth of colour by grounding each room in earthy base colours and lifted the spaces with the lightness of white by painting the top half of walls and ceiling with a crisp white. Each room was delineated by then choosing one colour from the distinct, warm palette from which we then centred tiling, curtains and furniture around. The idea was that each treatment room, whilst containing the same practical elements, has a slightly different atmosphere. The communal and circulation spaces are all anchored in a burnt orange base with teal blue doors to the treatment rooms.

The pressure was immense to get the clinic open and in a feat of project management excellence Fido Projects (who came on board to deliver the project at cost for Utopia) managed the entire fit-out stage ready to open the doors in six weeks. 

We then moved swiftly to fit out the clinic with sturdy, inexpensive furnishings in white, American oak and durable fabrics. We added in various textiles and thoughtful home-like touches such as plants, cushions and toys to common spaces plus cork-boards, hooks and hardwood display shelves so that staff could personalise their own work spaces. Utopia then opened its doors and had barely hit the ground running when the covid pandemic struck. The centre quickly adapted and provided a valuable testing centre in the west ultimately exceeding all its own goals with client enrolments in the first year of operations.

A year on and and despite the challenges of covid-19 Utopia has already proved to be a huge success and is on target to meet its long term goals. Lester reflects on how it is all panning out:

"I'm very happy at Utopia. We started off with approximately 250 referrals. In the past three months our registered patient list has swelled to 650. We have a target of 2000 referrals by the end of 2 years and I think we are well on track. Utopia is a happy place to work in. ... The staff are happy. There's a lot of camaraderie. Thanks once again to all of you. The building is a joy to work in. The plants that Megan's team put in are still alive and thriving..... Every new visitor to the building remarks on how lovely, light and homey it is.”

There are still some finishing design touches we would like for Utopia that the project budget was not able to extend to and in our hearts we think these tactile extras would really be the icing on the cake of what has been a beautiful and worthy project. Utopia is located in Hoppers Crossing which has a high concentration of Karen refugees from Myanmar/ Burma. Utopia has Karen speaking staff and Karen patients make up the largest quota of the community Utopia serves. 

In 2016 Brave New Eco director Megan Norgate acquired two beautiful small tapestries from Pop Craft’s Karen Tapestries exhibition which she has cherished ever since. The breathtaking energy of the exhibition left an indelible mark and when we realised that a significant proportion of Utopia’s clients were from the Karen community we wanted to find out more about the Karen weavers featured in the exhibition in the hope that we might be able to marry their tapestries with the Karen community in the healthcare setting.

As the co-curator of the exhibition Pauline Tran said in an article about how the weavers retain their culture through their artform:

“The weavers create these pieces mainly for therapeutic reasons. They live in close quarters with their other family members and practice weaving as a form of meditation and escapism from the daily grind of their domestic realm. They sit in front of their looms (which are often set up in the kitchen) and take their time to enjoy this creative solace and ‘whatever income they raise from exhibitions is a welcome bonus.”

Over the past decade the Karen weavers - Shuklay Tahpo, Mu Naw Poe & Cha Mai Oo - have been mentored in both collage and tapestry by local Melbourne artist Carmel Power and renowned weaver Sara Lindsay. They have been recognised with awards through the Heartlands Refugee Art prize for their joyous, highly colourful and patterned collages and Sara has witnessed them become much more confident and technically proficient in tapestry over the years. 

Post project completion, Brave New Eco raised the funds for Utopia to purchase two exquisite tapestries made by one of the Karen community weavers in particular, Mu Naw Poe (pictured above with her loom in her home). Mu Naw says of her experience making tapestries: “At first I didn’t have much confidence and I was too shy to show my talent and worried that people may not like my tapestries. You don’t need to be ashamed of who you are and what others…think about you.  Now I want to tell other people that no matter who you are, where you are from, that you can achieve your goal if you try.  I’m proud of myself and have made my family proud too."

Utopia already has some traditional Karen bags and textiles hanging in the treatment rooms and lovely touches of art decorating the walls throughout, and the two new Mu Naw tapestries that Brave New Eco crowd funded now sit perfectly in the waiting room.

We believe that the uplifting Karen weaver tapestries will positively benefit Utopia’s patients by creating an environment and atmosphere where they feel welcomed and connected. The tapestries are derivative of the traditional weaving culture in Burma whilst being created in an Australian context and would be the perfect addition to the healthcare setting providing both familiarity and hope for Utopia’s clients.

All photographs of Utopia Health by Emma Byrnes.
Images of Mu Naw Poe and Karen tapestries supplied by artist.

made in maidstone

Of all of our projects I think our “Made in Maidstone” project has to be the “prettiest”. This lovely bungalow is situated on a large rectangular block with an exceptionally wide street frontage. With the house being squarely in the centre of the site, one of the most enduring features of the home is the potential to interface with deep garden spaces from every side. In its original state, there were only two ways to get in and out, a front and a back door. We re-imagined the house like a ship, in that you may want to wander to port and starboard in order to track the sunlight and garden aspects during the day.

To this end we worked with Paul Pitrone to conceive a simple wraparound extension. This space houses a new dining space, the main bedroom (with a WIR + ensuite) and laundry. It is a modestly-sized extension that feels expansive due to the long site lines in each direction. In the centre adjacent to the western courtyard we designed a new space-efficient kitchen full of delightful materials and details and able to display the family collection of curios. We reused the existing rangehood, fridge, tap and sink for a resourceful approach.

Reeded glass doors to shallow pantry storage makes finding everything at a glance easy and adds texture and lightness to a wall of cabinets. Awkward corners created by U-shaped kitchen layouts were avoided by reducing the depth of the end cabinets and creating appliance nooks. Even the dead space behind an overhead cabinet above the fridge was reclaimed as a nook for a pot plant. Built by Sawhorse with detailed custom joinery by 16bays the project was lucky to be wrapped up just as the first Melbourne lockdown began. A new garden design to activate the outdoor space was done by Brave New Eco and is currently being expertly installed by Straw Brothers. Curtains, soft furnishings and a puppy were added and some serious 2020 lockdown nesting ensued. We look forward to taking more photos facing out once the garden grows!

An existing Volker haug pendant was perfectly suited for the new dining space.

An extra deep window seat looks out to the garden and captures the afternoon sun.

The merge of old and new was subtle and considered. The new part of the house invoking a modern cottagey feel that already existed in the home.

Beautiful pink and green terrazzo tiles, brushed nickel locally manufactured tapware and a view to an 8 foot hedge make this ensuite retreat feel private and nurturing.

A classic english porcelain wall light and ingrain vanity in the ensuite.

Subtle pastel tones are woven through the house telling a gentle pink and blue story.

A new bedroom with a whimsical and wild forest wall mural for an older teen.

Photography by Emma Byrnes

RHUBARB RHUBARB 3.0

Rhubarb Rhubarb is a beloved family business that has been at the Preston markets for 20 years. In 2016 Brave New Eco was engaged to fit out a new location within the market. The store was such a runaway success that by 2018 they had already outgrown the space! The opportunity then arose to take over a large site in an under-utilised corner of the market - Pam Lane. It was a risk for the owners Haydn and Sue to leave their highly visible position for a quiet corner but the shift would allow them to expand their stock range and add a cafe - plans they had longed dreamed of. So Brave New Eco was engaged for a second time to design the fit out. The large industrial style shell was an opportunity to solve some of the workflow issues smaller stores have around receiving deliveries, sorting and washing stock and dealing wth customer flow during busy periods. The space was complex with market-side and carpark frontage. A great deal of attention was paid to the experience for both sides of the counter - ensuring the ergonomic flow of tasks for staff and a pleasant and efficient shopping experience for the customer.

The new location required a fresh brand identity that would grab shopper’s attention to pull them into this quieter corner of the market. Brave New Eco worked with Tim from Baker Studios and drew inspiration from the colours, fonts and images found on vintage fruit boxes to create new branding. Beci Orpin was commissioned to design a mural for the shop exterior facing into the market. Working together Beci, Tim and Megan created on a palette of colours that could be used across the interiors, branding and mural. The painterly skills of Abbey Rich bought the mural to life over several days. The joyful and colourful display of sun rays and produce provides a great bookend to the pre-existing Minna Leunig mural on the shop’s carpark exterior facade.

The response to the new store has been overwhelmingly positive by both staff and customers old and new. Several months on from the opening this zone of the market is now a bustling hub of activity. The delightful mural, sunny interior colours, gorgeous fresh produce and steaming coffee are an optimistic beacon to Preston market shoppers. Rhubarb Rhubarb are now open 7 days a week and are also delivering their famously good fruit and veg plus a comprehensive grocery range to Melbourne’s inner north.

Photography by Emma Byrnes

JOIN OUR TEAM

Brave New Eco is looking for a project designer to join our growing dynamic and committed design team.
We are a happy productive studio in which everyone brings a range of skills to the table. We manage multiple commercial and residential projects at once so our team members need to be able to have their heads and hearts across several diverse elements.

Our studio atmosphere is supportive, dedicated and fun. We are located at the Park Street Collective in Carlton North with a group of like minded design professionals

We are looking for a designer to join our team on a permanent (part-time potential) basis - someone who would benefit from an independent work environment; who has a passion for sustainable design; and has the relevant technical skills to contribute to our projects in a meaningful way.  This role will involve running the documentation and administration of projects and liaising with clients, suppliers and trades so experience with this process is essential.

THE ESSENTIALS:

- Must have relevant qualifications in either interior design/building design/ architecture) and a minimum of 4 years professional experience in an Interior Design or Architecture practice.

- Must be competent in construction documentation using REVIT.

- Must be competent with the residential building code, construction documentation conventions and the stages of design and tender process. 

THE IDEALS:

- A commitment to sustainable outcomes and practice on a professional and personal level. (At BNE we walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk)

- Competent using Photoshop, Indesign and Illustrator.

- Experience with residential design including kitchens, bathrooms, and custom joinery.

- Experience with client presentations and liaison.

- Experience with contract administration.

- Experience specifying appropriate interior finishes, fittings, fixtures and materials.

NON ESSENTIAL BUT A BONUS:

- Sustainable design principles and product knowledge; and/or permaculture knowledge would be a bonus but is not essential. We can provide training and resources to up-skill in this area.

- Graphic design skills.

- Competent use of Excel and other microsoft office products.

- Research and writing skills.

DETAILS:

- Position can be between 28-35 hours a week negotiable.  Work/ life balance is very important to us, this position may suit an experienced applicant with other commitments or wanting a family-friendly workplace. 

- If you are interested in this opportunity, please email us with some information about yourself, a resume detailing relevant experience, referees and a folio or examples of your work, and we will be in touch with more details and salary information.

- Feel free to email us with any questions

LIGHT me up! home lighting from lux to led.

Above left - Vintage metal lampshade sourced from Etsy. Above right - ‘Pino’ pendant by Giffen Design.

Lighting is the forgotten hero of home design - when done well it can make us feel good, and make our homes safer and easy to navigate. Lighting can also be energy hungry.
But how can you make clever lighting choices that look great and use less energy?

Lighting accounts for an average of 6 per cent of residential energy use and between 8 to 15 per cent of the overall household budget. There are clearly efficiency and budgetary gains to be made when designing and specifying lighting solutions. Despite this, home lighting choices are often chosen an after-thought, missing the opportunity to maximise efficiency and to access the potential health, functionality and aesthetic benefits of good lighting design. 

Each area of a home has different lighting requirements and each light fitting need only provide enough directional light for its purpose. The earlier lighting is addressed in the design and build process, the more likely sustainable and appropriate choices will be made before time, patience, and budget run out.

Above - Dreamweaver pendant by Pop and Scott.

DAYLIGHT AND PEOPLE

The most important source of light to consider is daylight, not only because it is a free resource, but also because it positively affects our health and happiness. Ideally a home has enough windows that supplementary lighting is rarely needed during daylight hours, as this causes the least disturbance to human circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are the biological, behavioural and cognitive changes that occur in the body over a 24-hour period in response to environmental signals such as light and darkness. Natural light can assist in reducing fatigue and improve sleeping patterns, alertness and mood. 

Appropriately sized and oriented windows will allow light gain according to the direction and timing of sunlight. For example, east-facing windows can be lovely in bedrooms and kitchens to help you start the day, and larger windows are needed in daytime use areas such as kitchens and living areas than in bedrooms and utility spaces. Though of course, window sizing and orientation for daylight should be considered within passive solar design requirements to balance against undesired heat gain or loss. 

In a dimly-lit environment, the placement of new windows, skylights or solar tubes can have multiple benefits. When there is overshadowing from a neighbouring property, boundary wall or vegetation, a clerestory or highlight window can dramatically improve an interior space. Alternatively, quality skylights with seals, double-glazing and a capacity for summer shading can be used. Solar tubes effectively access natural light with a small glazed surface area, preventing the heat gain and losses associated with skylights. 

Other inexpensive tactics include painting skylight shafts a light colour to bounce light into the interior, or using light paint and reflective surfaces on south-side exterior fences or walls to bounce light back through south-facing windows. For apartments or other spaces with no roof or wall access to daylight, LED skylights that mimic the outdoor light levels could be a good option.

Above left - ‘Gala’ led wall light by Inlite. Above right - ‘Old skool’ wall lamp by Volker Haug lighting.

GENERAL LIGHTING

A considered approach when thinking about lighting solutions begins with working out what tasks are likely to be done in a particular space, and the amount of lighting required to comfortably complete them. This means considering the ways householders use each room; if people sometimes work at the dining table, then an option for bright light is a good idea. Even better, place a window or skylight above daytime work areas to boost productivity. 

Lighting throughout a house can be provided by a combination of ceiling lights, wall lights, downlights and pendants. Some areas of the home, such as utility areas and passageways, have fixed layouts but bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms have movable elements, so a degree of lighting flexibility should be incorporated, including the use of standard and table lamps. In open-plan designs, a flexible range of lighting solutions is needed in order to define zones from one another and adjust the light for differing moods and activities. 

TASK LIGHTING

Task lighting is needed in utility areas such as kitchens, laundries, bathrooms and offices. Lighting here can be directed where it is needed most by being zoned over the key elements of the layout, such as the sinks, stovetop and food preparation areas, ensuring a person’s head will not cast a shadow when bent over a task. LED strip lights and recessed downlights under cabinets are ideal for these purposes. These should be specified before cabinets are built and installed so that recessed tracks, cutouts and transformers can be integrated into the design. 

Above left - Sentinel 2 exterior wall light from Beacon Lighting. Above right - Raw brass bunker light from Geneico.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING

Outdoor lighting is important for safety and amenity. Floodlighting is useful for security and large area illumination; however, ensure directional lighting doesn’t face a neighbour’s window or entranceway. Floodlights can use up to 500 watts per light and can easily accidentally be left on during the day, so using an LED equivalent will save around 80 per cent of energy use. Wall-mounted lights, solar lighting and porch lights are a welcoming safety feature around access areas. Outdoor living and dining spaces can also benefit from ambient lighting, such as a pendant or solar powered fairy lights strung over pergolas or fences. Various landscape, deck and pathway lighting can be used for safety and effect but don’t overdo it: pick a couple of key areas to highlight rather than the whole space.

HOW MUCH LIGHT?

To assess the quantity of light needed in an area you need to consider both quantity of light emitted (lumens) and the beam angle (eg. 60-180 degrees). Lux is the measurement of light intensity, based on lumens, distance from the light source and the beam angle of the light. This measurement is used to ascertain how many of each type of light is needed in a particular area of your home. Typically for general use 200-300lLux is sufficient, with 350-800 in task areas and 150 lux for soft light. Free software such as Relux can be used to calculate how many light fittings are needed in each space- or lighting designers and some suppliers will be able to provide an accurate plan.

Above - Dusty green ‘ambit’ pendant by Muuto.

LIGHT TEMPERATURE AND COLOUR

Colour temperature is a way of defining the colour characteristics of light, ranging from cool, bluish tones to warmer, yellow and red ones. Task areas are often best served with a ‘white’ light at the cool end of the spectrum, as cooler LED lights tend to have slightly higher lumen outputs per watt of electricity used. Studies have shown that blue light can have a stimulating effect on people due to its similarity to early morning light. Spaces for relaxation may benefit from warmer light sources for the opposite reason. Avoid placing very warm and cool lights next to each other as they can clash. Some fittings and bulbs have both warm and cool LEDs and smart control systems, allowing the flexibility to select the colour temperature desired using a remote control or mobile phone app.

Above left and right - various vintage 20th century pendants.

LIGHTING AUTOMATION

Home automation uses technology to control homes with the push of a button, voice command or our presence in a room. At a basic level it is a sensor light that switches on with human activity. More sophisticated systems allow lighting and appliances to be controlled via smartphones or tablets. These products allow users to schedule appliance and lighting use and get alerts when something has been left on. Home automation is best approached by starting small and understanding the technology fully before investing. 

Above - Original metal sun disk wall pendants from home - re-wired and re-anodised.

TYPES OF LIGHTS

• PENDANT LIGHTS AND LAMPS
  Decorative pendant lamps look best in open spaces with high ceilings or hung low over areas that are not walked under such as dining tables or the corners of rooms. Scale is important with a pendant lampshade or chandelier as the width and height of the fitting should appear balanced within the scale of the room and its furnishings. Pendant lights with solid sides will only cast light downwards in a relatively narrow beam, and are better suited over a table rather than as a central light. Exposed bulbs, translucent and clear shades will cast light in multiple directions while coloured and perforated shades will create hues and patterns in the light they throw. Pendant lamps and shades are one of the easiest ways to use locally made, handmade, vintage and recycled lighting. Metal, ceramic, glass, plastic, paper, felt and cloth light shades come in an appealing array of shapes and sizes that can add character and interest to a room. Coloured, milk, etched, holophane, depression, frosted and hand painted glass shades will create softening, diffusing and toning effects. Vintage light fittings may need to be restored and re-wired by a qualified electrician or lighting restorer, so consider the cost of this when purchasing them; multi–globed fittings such as chandeliers are likely to be quite expensive, but still comparable overall with the cost of high quality new decorative fittings. However, they can be energy-intensive if not lamped appropriately, so look for low-wattage bulbs for your fittings eg. a five-lamp fitting might have 3W lamps so would only be 15W in total.

• WALL LIGHTS
  Wall lights are excellent for mood lighting as opposed to task lighting because they conceal the light fittings and can direct light up and/or down, creating a consistent wash of diffused light. Generally wall lights are used in groups or with a combination of other lighting to provide adequate lux levels in a space. Wall lighting is useful for when ceiling fans are placed in a central light position. Feature wall lights and lamps can be used to highlight objects and draw people to an area. Consider the placement of all wall-mounted elements when deciding on the height and location of lights.

• DOWNLIGHTS
  Downlights are small directional lights generally recessed into the ceiling. Traditionally used with inefficient halogen bulbs, downlights have been a well-documented cause of energy wastage and high power bills, with interruption to ceiling insulation leading to unwanted heat loss/gain. Thankfully there are now LED replacements and less seal-disruptive options available. Surface mounted downlights are an alternative option for task areas, and avoid the ceiling penetrations and the associated energy loss of regular downlights. LED options are common and don’t generate the levels of heat that makes halogen downlights a fire hazard. A reputable lighting supplier will be able to calculate how many will be needed. Flat disk LED downlights are a useful option where ceilings are low, or where a surface mounted light fitting could look too busy, also avoiding ceiling penetration. They typically have a 180 degree beam spread. Unlike many recessed downlights they are a sealed unit and insulation can be installed up to the edges. Some fittings may be rated to be insulated over, but as all LEDs produce heat and would be more likely to overheat with insulation, they will run cooler and brighter and last longer without.

• BATTEN FIX AND CEILING MOUNTED
  These are an economical choice for low ceilings and anywhere a ceiling light is desired and a feature light is not required, such as laundries, bathrooms, hallways and entries. 

Above left - Dream Weaver Starburst from Pop and Scott. Above right - Co-pendant light from Nook and Co

DON’T FORGET THE SWITCHING

The homeowner should carefully study electrical plans as they know best how they are likely to use their home. Any room with two entrances should have switches at both for convenience and switches should be grouped together where possible. However, some task lighting switches might be better placed at the location they are used. Ensure the heights and locations or switches are specified in plans or you may find switch plates in the middle of your beautiful tile splash back. Dimmer switches allow lights to be softened or made brighter for mood and convenience. Typically this is useful for bedroom, living, dining areas or anywhere some control over ambience is desired. Compatible globes and light fittings must be used with dimmer switches.

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TYPES OF GLOBES

• LEDS
  Light emitting diodes are solid-state semiconductors that convert electrical energy into light. LEDs have many advantages over other options, including very low energy use, long life (up to 50,000 hours), instant full light, and very little deterioration over time. LED replacements should now be available for all lighting types, but some halogen globe replacements for downlight fittings can leak more air than halogens as they have cooling fins around the perimeter, which could offset any energy efficiency gains. This is one reason to opt for full fitting replacements instead of bulb retrofits. Like all technologies, quality between LED globes varies greatly and high quality units are desirable. As the price of LEDs falls and life expectancy and savings over time are factored in, they provide a good return on initial investment.

• COMPACT FLUORESCENTS
  CFLs use about 70 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs, but do have significant issues in both efficacy and environmental impact. These lights have warm up periods for full brightness so are not suitable for the instant light that may be needed in hallways, bathrooms or as sensor lights. CFLs also contain mercury so must be disposed of through recycling programs to avoid contaminating landfill, and are potentially hazardous if broken inside the home. 

• FLUORESCENTS
  Fluorescents are typical office lights that come in cool, warm and daylight varieties. However, often the much cheaper phosphor-based tubes are selected; these emit a flat and cool light and are more prone to flickering, and have been associated with reported health problems. Now, energy savings are made in workspace design by using LED equivalents and lighting specific areas only

• HALOGENS
  Halogens produce a white light that makes colours appear more vivid. Halogens became very popular with the widespread use of downlights and many consumers were confused with the term low-voltage lighting- thinking it meant less energy use. In fact, a single halogen downlight consumes nearly as much electricity as a traditional 60 watt incandescent. Astronomical power bills ensued for homes containing sometimes hundreds of downlights. 

  Thank you to Graeme Ambrose from Eco Decisions for assistance with this article. 

This article was originally published in Sanctuary Magazine, issue 33.

All photographs by Emma Byrnes.

YARRAVILLIA PROJECT

This project began in 2015 with the small scope of a new wheel-chair friendly bathroom design. Emboldened by the initial design process the clients, Claire and Hayden, decided to consolidate their long-term plans for the house into a full scale-renovation. The family of four had bought their dream inner-suburban home in an ideal location - tucked down the end of a cul-de-sac that snaked around Cruickshank park in Yarraville. The house is a familiar post-war cream brick 1950's Bungalow with big park views. Their design brief was one that was wholly aligned with the BNE approach:

"To create a beautiful, sustainable, thoughtful, wheelchair-friendly family home that meets many people's different needs. To restore and protect all of the original fittings where possible and to reuse what can be re-imagined. A super kitchen for the domestic chef, great living spaces both inside and out and lots of storage" - Claire

Claire and Hayden loved the proportions and quirks of the house. In good original condition, it contained an over-sized front room, once used for ballroom dancing by the first owners. Overlooking the lofty gum trees of the park and opening onto a suntrap crazy-paved patio at the front, the home embodied the modernist design ideals they are so fond of. With two young sons under 10, they needed a robust and uber-functional space. Owen, their eldest son, uses a wheelchair for mobility, so the house was designed for ease of movement and to facilitate various daily activities. This home needs to work a bit harder than most, providing a space for entertaining, play, places to store specialist equipment, to work from home, foster creative projects and to support the people that provide daily care for Owen. 
Brave New Eco collaborated closely with Claire and Hayden, to understand their family's functional needs and to create an environment that was a consolidation of the many narratives that inform their life. The outcome is a deeply optimistic, nostalgic and playful environment, speaking volumes of the character, tenacity and good taste of the people that inhabit it.

Brave New Eco collaborated with Greensolar Designs to resolve the design - a sustainable, passive-function, double-storey extension containing a kitchen, dining and sitting room opening to the north and east.  Upstairs a "parent's zone" with bedroom, study and ensuite looks out to treetops in every direction. The extension was clad in recycled red and cream brick and leads on to timber decking and a pergola connecting the house to a converted garage workshop studio. 

In the open plan kitchen/dining, a rich retro palette of browns, oranges and yellows is combined with soft greens for a warm organic effect. Herringbone patterned terracotta tiles in tones of earthy brown were handmade in New Zealand and provide a warm surface underfoot as they absorb the winter sun. A large sliding door in sunny 'margarine yellow'  separates the old part of the house from the new. 

A single space heater warms the extension and, next to it, a built-in desk is designed for Owen to use. The deco style curved front patio corner was replicated in a curved series of windows into which an oval dining table fits snugly.  Above it, Pop and Scott's "Starburst Dreamweaver" pendant never looked so at home.

The olive green kitchen hides it's utilitarian heart behind beautiful surfaces. Mossy green tiles are used for the splashback and the high benchtop, concealing the serious work zone with an integrated stainless steel bench, triple sink and cooktop. Overhead shelving is suspended in aged bronze finished steel and D handles were custom made to match. Rounded blackbutt timber shelves speak to the curved forms found throughout the house. Every drawer and cupboard system was custom designed for the items it would store and each space is in full use. 

The moment you step into the front entrance the home states its intention not to be bland with a joyful paprika coloured entranceway. The entrance opens out to a wide hallway lined with storage and a solid Australian hardwood staircase.

A schoolhouse style red and blue laundry features salvaged laboratory taps and vintage bakelite red cupboard pulls. A custom-designed hardwood tilt-down drying rack sits over the bench, and a double-sided linen press is accessible from both the laundry and the hall.

The 1960's pool inspired main bathroom used mixed shades of matt blue mosaic tiles. Beautiful raw brass tap-ware was purchased in 2015 and quietly aged in storage, adding a touch of luxury. The curved edge of the hardwood vanity eliminates hard corners in the small space so carers can move around the bathtub easily. The vanity is designed for Owen's chair to tuck under with the semi-recessed basin accessible from all sides. Claire says of the new bathroom: 

"Our son now has a very lovely bathroom that he can access in a shower chair. He can transfer easily from his bedroom out of his wheelchair through all the widened doorways and wheel straight into his shower. It's great! Plus the bathroom also works as a great family bathroom without a 'medical' or 'disability' flavour that often accompanies these kinds of bathrooms"

Inside the original rooms a brutalist relief wallpaper, anodised metal sun-disk style wall lights and curtain relief plaster pelmets were among the quirky and unique features the clients wanted to preserve. The wallpaper was painstakingly repaired and painted over in mauve and soft pink tones taken from the twin tiled fireplaces. Pelmets and lights were removed and refurbished in an exercise in patience by the owners and the dedicated trades of Macasar builders. Claire and Hayden's collection of vintage kitsch, mid-century, and industrial objects had been stored for years waiting for their forever house. Claire, who worked for many years in fashion, has a keen eye for colour and form and Hayden had amassed a vast collection of industrial relics and objects in a nearby junkyard. The eclectic colour scheme was intuitively drawn from both the existing home's materials and the owner's belongings. 

Timber double-glazed timber windows were designed to be derivative of the original steel framed windows, that were beautiful but beyond restoration. Hardwood ramps were added to the front and back, the original bricks cleaned and sandstone paving restored. A 5-kilowatt solar array and evacuated tube solar hot water system was installed on the new roof. A custom-made angled hardwood front door was made with textured glass side panels to light up the entranceway. 

The clients summary of their favourite aspects of their new home is: 

"The kitchen and the new living space are so functional and tranquil. The kitchen has so much attention to detail, great appliances, its a delight! The joinery is exceptional. Both the bathrooms are really functional, easy spaces and so beautiful. We are really happy with our bold colour scheme and everybody who visits love the colours throughout, we feel enveloped by warm earth tones. The old living space has new life and is even prettier than before. Upstairs is great and feels like a getaway. Everything is easy, everything is beautiful and feels organic. There is lots more light coming inside, it looks amazing. There is much more space for everyone in our family to escape and good spaces for us to come together as well. It's hard to pick a favourite - but the best thing is the gorgeous home we now inhabit, which we feel very connected to, proud of and thankful for. The outcome was beyond our initial expectations but as the project evolved, we grew with it".

Digital features of Yarravillia
The Local Project
Hunter & Folk

Photographs by Emma Byrnes

WORK WITH US - JOIN THE BNE TEAM

Brave New Eco is looking for someone special to join our small, dynamic and committed design team.
We are a happy productive studio in which everyone wears a number of different hats and brings a range of skills to the table. We manage multiple projects and clients so our team members need to be happy having their heads and hearts across several diverse elements at once.

Our studio atmosphere is supportive, dedicated and fun. We are located in a Merri Creek-side building of like-minded businesses, and work in a very beautiful light filled space with a sunny deck and native gardens outside. 

We are looking for a designer to join our team on a permanent part-time basis - someone who would benefit from an independent flexible work environment; who has a passion for sustainable design; and has the relevant technical skills to contribute to our projects in a meaningful way. 

The essentials:

- A commitment to sustainable outcomes and practice on a professional and personal level. (At BNE we walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk)

- Must have relevant qualifications and 3+ years professional experience in an Interior Design or Architecture practice.

- Must be competent in construction documentation and 3D renders using REVIT.

- Familiarity with the residential building code, construction documentation conventions and the stages of design and tender process. 

The ideals:

- Competent using Photoshop, Indesign and Illustrator.

- Experience with residential design including kitchens, bathrooms, and custom joinery.

- Experience with client presentations and liasion.

- Experience with contract administration.

- Experience specifying appropriate interior finishes, fittings and surfaces.

A bonus:

- Passive solar design principles; sustainable design principles and product knowledge; and/or permaculture knowledge would be a bonus but is not essential. We can provide training and resources to up-skill in this area.

- Graphic design skills.

- Competent use of Excel and other microsoft office products.

- Research and writing skills.

- Digital native problem solver :-)

DETAILS:

- Work is on a permanent casual basis and is PART TIME.  Work/ life balance is very important to us, this position would suit someone wanting a part-time study or family-friendly workplace. 

- If you are interested in this opportunity, please email us with some information about yourself, a resume with relevant experience, and a folio or examples of your work.

- We will respond to inquiries by the end of Feb 2018. 

- Feel free to email us with any questions.

COLLINGWOOD COMPACT

This project is the home of clients totally committed to living resourcefully in small spaces. These guys walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk - willing to do everything they can to reduce their energy use and create a low impact lifestyle for their family. 
I first met Zoe and Cameron when they came to chat with me at a 'Speed date a sustainable expert' event a few years back. When they got back in contact they had been working with Matt from Greensolar Designs to resolve a small extension design (building out to a boundary wall on one side) containing a third bedroom, light-well and a study. 

After realising they could add two extra rooms and that the modestly-sized Collingwood cottage could really work for their family long term, they decided that they would need to include a renovation of the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, study, living room, and bedrooms. BNE was engaged to design these alterations including lighting, interior + exterior finishes, window + door furniture and soft furnishings. It was a pleasure to collaborate with Matt to create a modest, hyper-functional, super-cute home.

Above: The kitchen contains an induction cooktop, new highly efficient appliances, and beautiful matt black Paperock benchtops made from recycled bamboo and paper. Joinery was kept simple, with a combination of laminex and Vic ash veneer.

We started with the notion that a reconfiguration of the interior zones and good joinery design was the key to the small-spaces working for the family. We re-arranged their current furniture to better utilise the open-plan living spaces so they could test out a new layout whilst the design was being developed. In order to keep the kitchen small and simple, a metre wide extension to the boundary wall was suggested, allowing a walk in pantry to be included to allow for bulk purchasing and overflow appliances. 

Above: The ventilated plywood-shelved walk in pantry was designed to house the Thermomix and toaster - keeping the kitchen bench space clear.

Above: Built-in robes and drawers were added to each room, with handmade hardwood handles by a local joiner. A study was designed with space for books and two desks, one standing and one sitting. 

The interiors were painted throughout with non-toxic paints and timber sealants, retrofitted with LED lighting, eco-rated joinery materials were used and no MDF was used for mouldings or doors. 

Above: The bathroom and laundry were reconfigured to allow for a large linen press for household storage. Handmade timber vanities were installed and custom mirror surrounds made with the left-over timbers.

Above: The bathrooms are compact but work a treat. Matt porcelain tiles in soft green and charcoal, combined with matt white penny rounds are durable and provide interest in the small space. 

Above: Built-in-robes included drawers and a "play and study" nook in the children's room to reduce any need for extra pieces of furniture and keep the rooms open and spacious.

Water tanks, fully retrofitted insulation, a PV array, solar hot water, secure bike storage, and security window screens and doors for cross-flow ventilation complete the project making it an outstanding example of a sustainable retrofit home, not only in energy use but in encouraging sustainable lifestyle habits for this family and any future inhabitants. 

Above: Brave New Eco also completed a landscape design featuring decking and built-in productive garden beds, composting systems, and adjustable exterior shading.

All photographs by Emma Byrnes.